Old enemies bond

Red Sox get to know Derek Jeter

Credit: AP

FRIENDLY RIVALS: The WBC has given the Yankees’ Derek Jeter (left) a chance to bond with the Sox’ Dustin Pedroia (right), as well as Kevin Youkilis.

TORONTO - The batting practice scene was one of those rare events that could make both Red Sox and Yankees fans retch.

Yankees captain Derek Jeter stood in short right field, flanked by Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia and first baseman Kevin Youkilis. Pedroia pantomimed a swing. They laughed.

For all the times the trio have faced off over the years - sometime in June, Jeter should start his 200th game against the Sox - the players at the center of the rivalry have had little time to actually get to know each other.

But that has changed over the last two weeks at the World Baseball Classic, where the Sox standouts and Yankees star have reached a form of detente as teammates.

“He’s an awesome guy,” Youkilis said of Jeter. “Everything you hear about him, his character and all that, is on point.”

Youkilis knows that isn’t what fans on either side want to hear. He joked that he and Pedroia should say, “We don’t like Jeter. We just deal with him.”

But it wouldn’t be true.

“Being around him, you can see why the Yankees are successful,” Youkilis said. “Having that type of guy on your team is awesome. He’s a leader. He does everything right off the field. You get a really good sense of why he embodies the Yankees way. He’s an icon in New York.”

Jeter may be an icon, but that hasn’t stopped Pedroia from busting on him by posting a deodorant ad in his locker in mocking homage. Jeter is pictured outside of Fenway Park looking calm while fans yell at him.

“I’m just giving him a hard time,” Pedroia said. “It’s been cool meeting him and getting to play with him. He’s a class act. We’ve played against him so many times and respect him so much, it doesn’t matter what team he plays for.”

The respect goes both ways. Jeter knows that when the year is over, the Red Sox are going to be right there, with Pedroia and Youkilis in the middle of it all. He doesn’t buy talk that the Yankees own an advantage because of the free agent spending spree that landed Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett.

“It’s all paper, man,” he said. “On paper, the Netherlands shouldn’t have beaten the Dominican, right? You don’t play the games on paper. Otherwise you’d just write down the teams and just declare the champion before the season starts.”

Jeter recently mentioned how much he enjoys Pedroia’s personality. Yesterday he complimented Youkilis.

“He can play,” Jeter said. “He works extremely hard. He can hit. He can play defense. The difference now is having the opportunity to get to know him over an extended period. I’m getting to know him personally. I always respected him as a player, but now I have more respect for him as a person, too.”

Youkilis, like many of his U.S. teammates, marvels at how Jeter handles the pitfalls of celebrity.

“I don’t know how he does it,” Youkilis said. “I know how it is in Boston for me. I can’t imagine him in New York City. . . . I don’t think I could do it. I get recognized, but not like him.”

U.S. center fielder Curtis Granderson seconded Youkilis’ point.

“There’s no mistaking Derek Jeter for somebody else or someone else for him,” Granderson said. “It’s amazing to watch the number of fans that have a No. 2 they want signed or a Yankees hat or jersey they want signed.”

On cue, a Yankees fan leaned over the dugout.

“See what I mean?” Granderson said. “Even as we speak, there’s one right there.”

Nearby, Youkilis and Pedroia ducked through the dugout toward the clubhouse. They’re not going to ask Jeter for an autograph anytime soon, but the three have become fans of each other, even if their fans don’t want to hear it.